1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact member for use in a cable connector, more particularly to a contact member for connecting cable pins of various diameters in a relatively secure manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conductive contact member 13 is used in a tubular cable connector 1 and is used for connecting with a conductive pin 14 of a cable. The cable connector 1 is made of a metal, such as copper, and is formed with an axial receiving space 11. The contact member 13 is sleeved by a pair of insulating sleeves 12 which are received respectively in the axial receiving spaces 11 of a pair of the cable connectors 1. The contact member 13 has two opposite contact end portions 132, and is shown to comprise an opposed pair of metal plates 130 which are formed with opposed folding lines 133 in a respective one of the contact end portions 132. The folding lines 133 in a respective one of the contact end portions 132 cooperatively serve as a clamp for clamping the cable pin 14. As such, the cable pin 14 is only in contact with portions of the metal plates 130 at the folding lines 133 when the pin 14 is inserted into the contact member 13. The electrical contact between the cable pin 14 and the contact member 13 is not quite stable. Moreover, the metal plates 130 at a respective one of the contact end portions 132 are forced outwardly when the cable pin 14 is inserted into the respective one of the contact end portions 132, and spring back inwardly when the cable pin 14 is subsequently removed from the contact member 13. The cable pin 14 typically has a diameter in the range of 0.6 to 1.0 mm. After being in contact with a cable pin of a larger diameter for a long period of time, it is very likely that the contact member 13 would be unable to clamp another cable pin of a smaller diameter in a relatively secure manner due to spring fatigue of the metal plates 130, thereby adversely affecting the signal transmission.
FIG. 3 illustrates another conventional contact member 24 for use in input and output connectors 21, 22 of a cable directional tap 2. The contact member 24 has a first end portion 242 which defines an insert hole 243 to permit insertion of a cable pin thereinto and which is enclosed by an insulating sleeve 25, and a second end portion 241 which extends through an insulating plug 25xe2x80x2 and which is soldered to a circuit board (not shown) disposed in the cable directional tap 2. The contact member 24 is shown to comprise an opposed pair of elongated metal spring plates 240. The spring plates 240 have folding portions at the first end portions 242 of the contact member 24 and that serve as a clamp. The spring plates 240 are soldered to each other at the second end portion 241 of the contact member 24. However, repeated insertion and removal of the cable pin can weaken the solder connections between the metal plates 240, and between the second end portion 241 of the contact member 24 and the circuit board.
Referring to FIG. 4, still another conventional conductive contact member is shown to include an integral tubular body 20 having two opposite end portions. Each end portion is formed with a diametrically opposite pair of radial openings 21 and a pair of spring plates 23, 24 disposed respectively in the openings 21 and connected integrally to the tubular body 20. The spring plates 23, 24 have distal ends for cooperatively clamping a IS cable pin that is inserted into the tubular body 20. However, this type of conductive contact member still suffers from the aforementioned drawback resulting from spring fatigue of the spring plates 23, 24 after long-term connection with a cable pin of a larger cross-section.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a contact member for use in a cable connector and for connecting cable pins of various diameters in a relatively secure manner.
Accordingly, the conductive contact member of the present invention includes a tubular body with opposite, ends, and a clamping portion which includes a pair of clamping legs extending axially from one of the opposite ends of the tubular body. The clamping legs are diametrically opposite to each other with respect to the tubular body. Each of the clamping legs has a first end portion connected integrally to said one of the opposite ends of the tubular body, a second end portion opposite to the first end portion, and an opening formed between the first and second end portions. The second end portions of the clamping legs cooperatively confine an axial insert hole adapted to permit insertion of a conductive pin of a cable thereinto. Each of the clamping legs has a spring plate disposed in the opening. The spring plate has a connecting end portion connected integrally to a respective one of the clamping legs, and a distal end portion opposite to the connecting end portion. The spring plates are adapted for cooperatively clamping the conductive pin of the cable therebetween.